This invention relates to a composite molded panel which may be shaped to form an interior door panel or an interior trim panel for a vehicle or to form similar types of panels used for other purposes. It is especially useful in producing vehicle interior doors and trim panels having an undercut edge.
Interior door panels for vehicles are typically made by first forming a preselected size and shape of foundation board made of stiff particle board, fiber board or plastic material which is commonly called a substrate. Then, one or more cloth-like sheets are fastened to the surface of the substrate. The substrate may also function to support other items, such as window regulator parts, small motors, wiring and the like, which are located upon or within the door. In many vehicles, the interior surfaces of the door panels are decoratively enhanced by adding inserts upon the panel. The inserts may be in the form of smaller sections or panels which may be formed, for example, of fabric or carpet-like sheets or sheets with heavily textured surfaces or sheets of different surface colors or material.
Typically, the interior door and trim panels of the type described above are assembled out of separate parts which are positioned upon the substrate and fastened together, one by one, to provide a completely assembled panel. This assembly is fastened within the metal or plastic door or within other parts of the interior of the vehicle. This technique for manufacturing interior and trim panels is relatively time consuming and expensive. Moreover, this limits the ability to significantly contour or curve the interior surface of the vehicle. For example, it is difficult to provide a curved or contoured foundation board and to cover such a curved board. Therefore, vehicle interior door surfaces are relatively flat and other trim surfaces also have limited curvatures.
Thus, this invention relates a plastic molding method for making interior door and trim panels and the like, which may be curved, and which have a downwardly curved undercut edge, at reduced cost and with enhanced decorative appearances.
The invention herein contemplates molding a plastic panel by, first, preparing a thin, fabric flexible plastic sheet which is sized and shaped to form a blank. The blank is positioned within a mold. As the blank is positioned within the mold, the blank is pulled over a mold ring. Next, plastic molding material is placed within the mold and is molded, in situ, to form a relatively rigid plastic molded substrate whose exposed, outer surface, is made up of the composite of the fabric or plastic sheet blank. The blank could also include inserts of different materials and textures which are carried by the blank. Since the substrate is molded in situ within the thin fabric or plastic sheet blank, other objects may be simultaneously molded upon or within the substrate. For example, window parts, wires, ductwork and the like may be molded within the substrate. Alternatively, the substrate may be provided with integral portions that are configured to receive or to mount exterior mechanical parts or trim elements. Thus, this method may economically produce, for example, an interior door panel which may have curved portions and which carries separately mounted or integrally formed arm rests or window controls or other items mounted thereon, while providing an enhanced decorative appearance.
A major object of the invention is to provide an undercut or downturned edge. This is accomplished by the mold ring including a cut out portion which enables the blank to be received in the cut out portion. As the substrate is injected into the blank, the material fills in behind the blank forcing the blank into the cut out forming the downturned edge. The blank is continuous around the edge and covers the bottom of the edge. The remainder of the blank may be trimmed from the molded panel to provide an undercut on the molded panel.
A further object of the invention is to provide a method for rapidly and economically producing vehicle door panels and interior trim panels and the like with a minimum of labor and with better, more uniform quality than has previously been possible utilizing the typical panel assembly techniques which have been used in the past for making door interior panels and trim panels.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following description of which the attached drawings form a part.